Telent is deploying new SCADA technology to replace Network Rail’s outdated systems across the country.
Telent has reached a significant milestone in its nationwide rollout of its new SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system for Network Rail, seeing several sites go live and the UK’s first remote secure test completed.
At Rugby Telent has completed the testing for the country’s first remote securing of electrical infrastructure on the West Coast Mainline.
The remote securing technology enables safer working conditions for staff carrying out crucial maintenance tasks on the railway. This feature enables maintenance workers to prevent accidental re-energisation of segments of the track through a mobile phone app until their task is completed, with control rooms unable to override the app’s command.
This removes the risk of miscommunication between ground workers and control rooms and makes the working environment safer. It also maximises the potential time available for planned works, minimising downtime and limiting passenger disruption.
With the test at Rugby completed, remote securing will now move into the formal Trial Phase before being rolled out nationwide for Network Rail. In addition to the remote securing tests at Rugby, Telent has deployed the latest version (v5.0) of the TPCMS (Traction Power Centralised Management System) technology to upgrade the SCADA system there at the station’s control rooms.
Since September last year, Telent has also updated the SCADA systems implemented at Selhurst, Brighton and Canterbury.
At Selhurst and Canterbury, Telent has completed significant updates to a prior version of the TPCMS SCADA technology, implementing TPCMS v5.0 on newly upgraded infrastructure.
Network Rail’s legacy SCADA systems had become outdated and had reached its end of life, so appointed Telent to replace its SCADA systems with a single, national platform to control traction power and electrical distribution across its national network.
At Brighton, it was the first deployment of Telent’s new v5.0 software for a UK region that is not already utilising a Telent control system, marking a major step forward in delivering a modernised national traction power control system for Network Rail.
Using an innovative standalone delivery model, Telent successfully accelerated the rollout, showcasing its ability to streamline implementation and improve efficiency.
Tom Royds, Programme Manager at Telent, said: “The roll out of SCADA updates for Network Rail is continuing its significant momentum this year with several sites already live, and the feedback we’ve had on the technology implemented has been positive throughout. The Rugby ECR controls assets from the West Midlands to North London and is one of the largest regions to come under TPCMS control since the programme started.
“Remote securing is a real game changer for the industry, ensuring people are safe when carrying out their vital work. This achievement also underscores the importance of enhancing security for rail workers by ensuring that traction power is always reliably and securely controlled. At Telent, safety is at the core of everything we do, and this project demonstrates our dedication to putting technology to work for the benefit of the entire rail community.”
This marks a pivotal moment in our project to develop and trial 'remote securing,' and it is the culmination of years of dedicated work by Network Rail and our suppliers, Codra, Ematics, and Telent. And paves the way for us to commence the on-infrastructure trial later this year..
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